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Nelson: Fred Smith doesn’t know it, but he inspires my students

By , Daily Memphian Updated: November 26, 2019 4:00 AM CT | Published: November 26, 2019 4:00 AM CT
Michael Nelson
Daily Memphian

Michael Nelson

Michael Nelson is contributing editor and columnist for The Daily Memphian, the political analyst for WMC-TV, and the Fulmer professor of political science at Rhodes College. His latest books are “Clinton's Elections: 1992, 1996, and the Birth of a New Era of  Governance" and “The American Presidency: Origins and Development, 1776-2018.”

The FedEx founder’s story is one every Memphian of a certain age has heard. But it’s a story – like the Christmas story – that never gets old. And like that story, it lies at the intersection of history and legend. 

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Fred Smith FedEx

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